For people who are too lazy to walk a few extra meters to the supermarket, despite being perfectly capable of doing so, new hefty fines are to be introduced.

Norman Baker, the MP responsible for local transport, has urged supermarket chains to clamp down on those who abuse disabled parking bays.

Currently, local authorities are able to punish motorists on public highways but they have no power to act on private land.

Mr Baker said: "Many disabled people and disability groups have told me about the problems they have in finding a disabled bay at supermarkets because of their abuse by people who have no justification for parking in reserved spaces."

Several supermarket chains including Aldi, Lidl, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose have agreed to take part in the scheme.

Motorists who abuse disabled parking bays will be issued parking charge notices, which are an equivalent of a parking ticket, with fines up to £150.

Car models and number plates will also be read out over the supermarkets' tannoy systems.

A spokesman for Morrisons said: "We will penalise those able-bodied drivers that incorrectly park in spaces allocated for blue-badge drivers."

The new fines are also supported by the AA who said: "Penalties need to be severe because the kind of person who would park in a disabled bay would laugh off a smaller fine."

Tags:

About The Solicitor

The Solicitor focuses on legal news, legal questions and circumstances that arise in the everyday lives of UK residents, including family law, employment law, debt and insolvency and more. Have a comment or tip? Write to us.